Mattress-making machine.



No. 679,809. Patented Aug. 6, I90I.

C. W. WHITE.

MATTRESS MAKING MACHINE.

(A licatio filed Mar. 11, 1901.

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No. 679,809. Patented Aug. 6, l90l.

. G. W. WHITE.

MATTRESS MAKING MACHINE.

(Application filed Mar. 11, 1901.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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mmmass MAKING MACHINE.

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No. 679,809. Patented Au Is, I901,

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Winamax UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES V. WHITEQOF WACO, TEXAS.

MATTRESS-MAKING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 679,809, dated August 6, 1901.

Application filed March 11,1901- Serial No. 50,537. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it'known that 1, CHARLES W.WHITE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Waco, Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mattress-Making Machines, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

The invention to be hereinafter described relates to mattress-making machines, and more particularly to that type thereof wherein the material to be placed in the tick is assembled and brought to the desired shape in a suitable frame and thereafter bodily moved into the tick, which is suitably supported to receive it.

One of the objects of my present invention is to provide a mattress-making machine whereby the stuffin g material for the tick may be brought to the proper form and shaped up into any convenient size, both as to length and width, in a suitable shaping and forming frame and then after being compressed be bodily moved into the tick without liability of disturbing the shape and contour of the stuffing material.

Other objects of the present invention are to simplify the construction and arrangement of parts to enable the above-defined operations to be easily and readily carried out, either by hand or power, to provide a form of compression-frame and operating mechanism therefor whereby the stuffing material may be readily and efficiently compressed to the required amount, to provide means for forcing the forming and shaping frame into the tick with the stuffing material and to withdraw it therefrom, and to provide a general improved construction of parts whereby mattresses may be quickly and easily made having well-defined corners.

With the above objects in view the invention consists of the parts and combinations, as will be hereinafter more fully described and then definitely pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a mattress-making machine embodying my invention, some of the parts being broken away and the compression-frame being shown partly raised. Fig. 2 is plan view thereof with the com pression-frame and its operating and attached mechanism omitted to better or forming frame resting upon the slattedapron with the lock or latch disengaged from between the slats. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, except that the lock or latch is shown in engagement between the slats. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the compression-frame detached. Fig. 8 is a side or edge view thereof. Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional view of one edge of the compression-frame on the line y 1 Fig. 8,

showing the manner of engagement between the main and adjustable sections of said compression-frame.

The main supporting-frame for the operating parts of the machine comprises suitable uprights A A B B, joined by'the side pieces A, suitably secured thereto and preferably braced in any desired manner to constitute a convenient and stable framework.

Mounted in suitable bearings formed in the brackets B at the head end of the machine is a shaft B carrying the sprocket-wheels B B and operable from any usual source of power, as by the crank B, through a suitable chain of gears or pinions B and B. Carried in suitable bearing B at the opposite end of the machine, is the shaft B having sprocketwheels B corresponding to the sprocketwheels B and on and between these pairs of sprocket-wheels are the sprocket-chains B connected by slats .0, thus constituting the slatted apron O, which forms the bottom of the main supporting-frame. In order to compensate for any stretch or wear in the apron O, the bearing carrying the shaft 13 is made adjustable in any usual or suitable manner, as by the adjusting-screw B.

Secured to the uprights A A are the rackplates 0., provided with the central teeth a and side channel-ways a a Figs. 3 and 4, the latter being engaged by suitable flanges a a formed on or made as a part of the bearing-blocks A and A carrying the shafts A and A respectively. The bearing-blocks A and A are connected together, so as to move in unison, by the links A A, suitably bolted thereto at a. a, The bearing-blocks A A are preferably slotted, as shown inFig. 3, and through such slots a project the rack-pinions A A fixedly secured to the shaft A and engaging the rack-teeth a of the racks 01.. Fixed to one end of the shaft A is a hand wheel A by which the shaft may be turned, and also secured to said shaft is a ratchetwheel A adapted to be engaged by a pawl A pivoted to the bearing-block A whereby rotation of said shaft in one direction may be restrained.

It will be evident from the construction thus far described that rotation of the shaft A by the hand-wheel A in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1, will cause the bearingblocks A and the connected bearing-blocks A together with the shaft A to be raised, and upon engagement of the ratchet-wheel A and pawl A the said parts will be maintained in such elevated position.

J ournaled upon the shaft A so as to rise and fall therewith, is the compression-frame, comprising a fixed or main section D and an adjustable section D, the fixed section D being provided with bearings d, hung upon the shaft A and with side projections d or other form of slideways, which are embraced by suitable guide-plates d secured to the upturned edges d of the adjustable section D by the bolts or other desired securing means (1 The upper flanges of the guide-plates d are received under a member of the angleiron (1 secured tot-he fixed or main section D, and are adapted to be clamped in any desired position of adjustment by the clampscrews or other securing means d Thus it will be seen that the-compression-frame is adjustable in the direction of its length Within wide limits either in the formation of mat tresses of widely-diiferent dimensions or to enable the machine to be put up in rooms or houses where the height of ceiling is limited, as will more fully appear.

In practice I have found it advantageous and desirable to form the fixed or main section D of suitable timbers or boards secured together and to form the adjustable section D of metal, as indicated in Figs. 7, 8, and 9, having an end reinforcingpiece (1 but while I prefer this form of construction it is to be understood that my invention is not limited in this respect and any desired modification can be made therein within the scope of my invention, and likewise other clamping and adjusting means may be employed for the adjustable section, as will be obvious.

During the formation of the stuffing material in the forming or shaping frame, to be hereinafter described, the compression-frame is turned on its bearings d into an upright or vertical position, and in order to effect this movement the fixed or main section of the compression-frame is provided near its free end with an eyebolt (1 to which a cord, rope, or chain 01 is secured at one end and which then passes over a guide-pulley d secured to the cross-bar d at the top of the uprights A and has its other end connected to a winding-drum d, secured to the shaft A The said shaft A is provided with a hand-wheel d, by which it and the drum may be rotated to wind up the rope or cord (i and in order to hold .the compressionframe in desired raised position the said shaft A is further provided with a ratchet-wheel (1 which is engaged by a-pawl c2 pivoted to the bearing-block A Thus it will be seen that while the compression-frame is loosely journaled upon the shaft A so as to have its free end raised by means of the drum d and rope or cord d it will also be raised or lowered bodily or have its journaled end raised orlowered through the rack and pinions and upper shaft A, as hereinbefore described.

The main supporting-frame has its ends openthat is, the side pieces A are not joined by corresponding end pieces-and in order to prevent the stuffing material from being forced through the opening thus left at the head of the machine during the time the material is being assembled for a mattress I provide the compression-frame with an extension d which when the compressionframe is raised effectually closes the head end of the machine above the apron O, and when the frame is lowered said extension bridges the space between the compression frame and the adjacent end of the tick-holder, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

Secured to the uprights A A are the brackets E E, to which the brackets E E are adjustably secured by the bolts e e passing through the horizontal and vertical slots e e in said brackets, respectively, as will be clear from Fig. 1. Joining the brackets E E on opposite sides of the frame is the rod or other form of supporting-piece c and by which the lower member of the tick-support is carried, said member, as more clearly indicated in Fig. 2, comprising a fixed section E and a sliding or telescoping section E said section E being connected to said rod e by the sliding clips 6 6 The upper member of the tick-support is carried from the bearing-block A as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3, being connected thereto by the adj ustable arms f and f clamped in adjusted relation by any usual form of bolt f passing through the slotsf Extending between the arms ff on opposite sides of the machine is a rodf or other desired form of support, and secured thereto and to one of the arms f is the fixed sec tion F of the upper member of tick-holder, the other section F of the tick-holder being slidingly connected to the rodf or other support by clips f f whereby it may be ad justed-or telescoped with relation to the fixed section. The detail form of construction of the tick-holder may be varied as desired, it only being necessary that the upper and lower members may be adjusted with relation to each other to form mattresses of different thicknesses and that the sections of each member may be adjustable, so as to form mattresses of varying widths. In the present instance it will be noted that the lower member of the tick-holder is adjustable with relation to the slatted apron both vertically and horizontally to bring the tick into proper relation thereto and that the upper member, being carried by the bearing-blocks A is antomatically adjustable therewith during the compression of the stuffing material, as will more fully appear hereinafter. The slotted arms f andf enable the upper member to be adjusted with relation to the plane of the compression-frame in a horizontal and vertical direction, and the space between the end of the upper member and the said frame is bridged or closed when the compression frame is lowered by the extension (1 on said frame.

Loosely sustained with the side pieces A A of the main supporting-frame and adapted to rest upon the slatted apron C is my improved shaping or forming frame, (designated in general by G.) This frame comprises two side boards 9 g and intermediate slats or boards 9 g g g, &c. extending substantially the full length of the supporting frame, as shown more clearly in Fig. 2, several of said intermediate slats or boards-as g g and g, for instance-being held in fixed relation to each other by one or more braces 9 secured to the slats or boards by pins, screws, nails, or the like 9 while the remaining slats are adj ustable toward and from the fixed slats and may 7 be held in adjusted position by any desired means-that, fOrinstance, shown in Fig. 2, comprising a tube g secured to the fixed slats g g and g and into which telescopes the rod 9 secured to the slat g and held in position by the set-screws 9 While I have selected this as one form of means for adj usting the width of the shaping or forming frame, it is to be understood that I am not limited thereto, but that any suitable means for effecting such adjustment may be employed.

Secured to the side boards at 72, his the push-board or ram H, by which the material after having been shaped in the shapingor forming frame G is forced into the tick. This push-board or ram is preferably made in two parts, as shown, and connected adjustably at the overlapping ends of the two parts by the bolts h h, so that as the width of the frame is adjusted the push-board or ram will also be adjusted to the necessary extent. It is evident that unless some provision were made for varying the position of the push-board or ram toward or from the end of the shaping or forming frame the mattresses made on any one machine would all be the same length, whereas it is desirable that any length of mattress may be formed. One way of effecting this adjustment would be, of course, to vary the position of the pushboard or ram itself; but I have found in practice that a ready means of effecting the same result is by the use of a loose or dummy push board H, which, as shown by dotted lines, Fig. 2, is adjustable to suit the width of shaping or forming frame, and interposing between it and the push-boardH a series of loose pieces or dummies 77, 72 sufficient in number to se cure the length of mattress desired. It is. evident from this construction that in making a short mattress the stuffing material is all disposed in the shaping or forming frame between the head of the machine or extension (1 of the raised compression-frame and the dummy push -board H and that when the material is to be pushed into the tick the dummy push board serves as the ram or pusher; but should a full-sized mattress be desired the dummy push-board H and the loose pieces or dummies h h are removed and the material then occupies the full space between the extension d and the push-board or ram H.

It is intended in this embodiment of my invention that the material shall be arranged and compressed within the shaping or forming frame, which rests upon the slatted apron G, and that such frame carrying the material shall be forced into the tick and then be withdrawn, leaving the material in perfect form in the tick, and to eifect this movement of the shaping or forming frame I have provided the following mechanism:

Secured to the ends of the fixed slats g g g is one leaf k of the hinge K, the other leaf 7.2- of which carries an angle-iron 70 Likewise to the ends of each of the adjustable slats g g g is secured one leaf of a hinge in similar manner, while to the other leaf thereof is adj ustably connected by the cap-screws it the slotted angle-iron K, adjustably connected also to the angle-iron k whereby the slats may be readily adjusted toward and from each other and yet the angle-irons k K be turned either to the position of Fig. 5, out of engagement between the slats O of the apron O, or to the position of Fig. 6, where they are shown in engagement between the slats of the apron. From this construction it will be evident that when the angle-irons are turned as in Fig. 6 and the slatted apron 0 moved in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 6, to feed the stuffing material into the tick the shaping or form ing frame will be carried with it; but when the said angle-irons are turned as in Fig.5 the said frame may be withdrawn over the slats. To effect this last result,I have mounted in suitable bearings m m on the end of the main supporting-frame a shaft M, carrying a drum m and a hand-wheel m by which it may be turned and have connected to the shaping or forming frame G, by means of suitablebolts m m a yoke O, to which isjoined one end of a cord or rope P, which passes around and is adapted to be wound upon the drum m. Thus it will'be seen when the angle-irons are in the position shown in Fig. 5

if the shaft M is turned the frame G may be moved over the slats in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 5, and to render such movement more easy and avoid excessive friction I have provided the said frame with rollers 10 19, one or more of which may be carried by a rod 1), slidingly connected to the adjustable slats g, g g g g and g, as shown in Fig. 2. I may, if desired, provide a handle p for raising and lowering the angle-irons K 10 or any usual device may be employed for this purpose.

In order that the shaping and forming frame may be rigidly sustained to support the stuffing material during formation of the mattress and during compression thereof, I have deemed it desirable to provide for the adjustment of the slats from one side of the said frame toward the other and to support the frame upon the apron O, with one side board 9 sustained against an auxiliary side piece R. This auxiliary side piece R is carried by adj listing-rods r 'r, which pass through one of the main side pieces A of the main supporting-frame, and is held in adjusted postion by suitable set-screws or clamping-bolts r r, as will be clear from Fig. 2. In adjusting the machine for making a mattress narrower than the width of the main frame the shaping or forming frame is pushed against one of the side pieces A and the width of said frame then adjusted by movement of the slats g g 9 toward the fixed slats, the slats being then heldin this adjusted relation by the set-screws g g or other means. The auxiliary side piece R is then brought to bear against the side of the shaping or forming frame and clamped in position by the set-screws 1" r, and the upper and lower members of the tickholder are adjusted to the required width, as will be evident.

While I have described the above construction in its details as the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not regard myself as limited to the precise construction specified and that the same may be varied within the limits of one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention.

The operation of the device is as follows: The shaping or forming frame G is placed within the supporting-frame upon the slatted apron, and the width. of said frame Gris then adjusted to the required width of mattress desired. The auxiliary side piece R is then moved into contact with the side board 9 of the frame G, and the push-board H and other adjustable features of the frame are clamped in their adjusted position. Likewise the upper and lower members of the tick-holder are adjusted to the desired width corresponding to that of the frameG. The compressionframe is then raised by turning the shaft A and the extension d then closes the forward mattress is to be less than of the standard size,

(indicated by the position of the push-board H,) the dummy push-board H is placed in position witha sufficient number of loose pieces or dummies 72 interposed between it and the main push-board to secure the proper length of mattress, after which the stuffing material is placed Within the rectangular frame thus defined by the shaping and forming frame and the extension 01 on the end of the compressionframe. When sufficient material has been placed within the shaping and forming frame, the compression-frame is lowered upon the material, and its adjustable section being adjusted to the length of mattress to be produced the compression-frame is. forced down and clamped in place by the clamps Q Q, which will engage suitable stops, as g, on the compression-frame or suitable cross-pieces, not necessary to show. The forward end of the compression-frame is then forced down to compress the material by means of the rack and pinions a, and A", and when the requisite degree of compression is reached the compression-frame is held in its position at the forward end of the pawl and ratchet A and A The tick having been placed over the upper and lower members of the tick-holder and the angle-iron 10 being in position as indicated in Fig. 6, the slatted apron C is moved through its train of gearing from the hand-crank B or other suitable driving means, whereupon the entire shaping or forming frame G and the compressed stufifing material are forced from the main supporting-frame between the members of the tick-holder into the tick, the extension d at such time bridging the space between the upper member of the tick-holder and the end of the compression-frame. The shaping and forming frame is then withdrawn from the tick by means of the rope or cord P and shaft M, as will be evident, the angleiron 10 being first turned into position indicated by Fig. 5 to disengage it from between the slats of the slatted apron.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- g 1. In a mattress-making machine, the com bination of a main frame, a compressionframe pivotally mounted in said main frame, means for raising and lowering the pivoted end of said compression-frame, and devices movable with said means and operable independent thereof for'raising and lowering the free end of said compression-frame.

2. In a mattress-making machine, the combination of a main frame, a compressionframe pivotally mounted in said main frame, means for raising and lowering the pivoted end of said compression-frame, devices movable with said means and operable independent thereof for raising and lowering the free end of said compression-frame and means for securing the free end of the compressionframe upon the material to be compressed.

3. In a mattress-making machine, the combination of a main frame, a compressionframe comprising a fixed section pivotally mounted in the main frame and an adjustable section movable lengthwise of the fixed section and means for securing the sections in adjusted relation.

4:. In a mattress-making machine, the combination of a main frame, a compressionframe pivoted therein, and comprising a fixed and an adjustable section movable lengthwise of the fixed section, means for securing said sections in adjusted relation, and means for independently raising and lowering the free and pivoted ends of said frame.

5. In a mattress-making machine, the combination of a main frame, a compressionframe pivoted therein at the exit end of the main frame, means for raising and lowering the free end of the compression-frame, devices for securing said end upon the material to be compressed, means to thereafter force the pivoted end of said compression-frame downward to compress the material, and a tick-holder one member of which is connected and movable with the pivoted end of the compression-frame.

6. In a mattress-making machine, the combination of a main frame having an open end,

a compression-frame pivoted therein, and provided with an extension to close the open end of the main frame when the compressionframe is raised,and means for raising and lowerin g the free end of said compression-frame.

7. In a mattress making machine,.the combination of a main frame, a tick-holder supported and spaced therefrom, a compressionframe pivoted in the main frame and provided with an extension to close the end of the main frame when the compression-frame is raised and to bridge the space between the upper member of the tick-holder and compression-frame when the latter is lowered upon the material, and means for raising and lowering said compression-frame.

8. In a mattress-making machine, the combination of a main frame, a shaft supported thereby, a compression frame pivotally mounted upon said shaft,meansoperable from said shaft for raising and lowering the free end of said compression-frame, a tick-holder spaced from and extending beyond said shaft the upper member of which is movable with said shaft, and means for positively raising and lowering the.said shaft and the pivotal end of the connected compression-frame and upper member of the tick-holder.

9. In a mattress-making machine, the combination of a main frame having uprights, racks secured to said uprights, a shaft having pinions engaging said racks, means for restraining the shaft from rotation in one direction, a second shaft, devices connecting the two shafts to cause them to move in unison, a compression-frame hung from said second shaft, and means operable from said second shaft for raising and lowering the free end of the compression-frame, whereby the free end of said compression-frame may be lowered and thereafter the opposite end may be forced downward to compress the material. 10. A compression-frame comprising fixed and adjustable sections, the latter being movable lengthwise of the former to vary the combined length of the two sections, means for securing them in adjusted relation, and an extension secured to the fixed section.

11. In a mattress-making machine, the

combination of a main frame provided with a slatted apron, a compression-frame pivotally mounted on the main frame, and a separate and independent shaping or forming frame to receive the stufiing material and adapted to be supported on the apron of the main frame, said shaping and forming frame being provided with means for engagement between the slats of the apron and means for adj usting the shaping and forming frame to the size of mattress desired.

12. In a mattressmaking machine, the combination of a main frame provided with a slatted apron, an auxiliary side board adjustably connected to said main frame, a com-.

pression-frame pivotally mounted on the main frame, and a separate and independent shaping or forming frame to receive the stuffing material and adapted to be supported on the apron of the main frame, said shaping and forming frame being provided with means for engagement between the slats of the apron, and means for adjusting the shaping and forming frame to the size of mattress desired.

13. In a mattress making machine, the combination of a main frame having an open end provided with a slatted apron and means for operating it, a compression-frame pivotally mounted on the main frame and provided with an extension to close the open end of the main frame when the compressionframe is in raised position, a shaping or forming frame adapted to rest upon the slatted apron to receive the stuffing material and means for causing the shaping and forming frame to move with the apron to carry the material into the tick.

14. In a mattressmaking machine, the combination of a main frame provided with a slatted apron and means for moving the apron, of a shaping or forming frame adapted to rest upon the apron to receive the stuffing material, and means on said shaping and forming frame for engagement between the slats of the apron for connecting the said shaping or forming frame to said apron and to cause it and the stuffing material to be moved into the tick.

15. In a mattressmaking machine, the combination of a main frame provided with a slatted apron and means for moving the apron, of a shaping or forming frame adapted to rest upon the apron to receive the stuffing material, and means for engagement between the slats of the apron for connecting the said shaping or forming frame to said apron to cause it and the stufling material to be moved into the tick, and means independently of the apron for thereafter withdrawing the shaping or formingframe from the tick.

16L In a mattress -making machine, the combination ofa main frame provided with an apron and means for moving said apron, of a shaping and forming frame adapted to rest upon said apron and having a push-board or .ram, connected to and forming part of the shaping and forming frame and meanson said shaping and forming frame to engage the slatted apron for detachably connecting the shaping and forming frame to said apron to cause it and the material contained therein to be carried into the tick.

17. In a mattressmaking machine, the combination of a main frame provided with a slatted apron, an auxiliary side piece or board adjustably connected to the main frame, a shaping or forming frame independent of the auxiliary sidepiece or board and adjustable as to width and adapted to rest upon said apron between a side piece of the main frame and the auxiliary side piece, and means for detachably connecting the shaping or forming frame between the slats of the apron to cause it and the material therein to be carried into the tick.

I 18. In a mattressmaking machine, the combination of a main frame provided with a slatted apron, an auxiliary side piece or board adjustably connected to the main frame, a shaping or forming frame independent of the auxiliary side piece or board and adjustable as to width and adapted-to rest upon said apron between a side piece of the main frame and the auxiliary side piece, an adjustable push-board or ram connected to the shaping or forming frame, and means connected to the shaping and forming frame for detachably connecting the shaping or forming frame between the slats of the apron to cause it and the material therein to be carried into the tick.

19. A shaping or forming frame, comprising a series of slats some of which are adjustable toward and from the others, side pieces arranged at the sides of said series of slats,

an adjustable push-board or ram connecting said side pieces, an angle-iron hinged to said slats, and means for securing the slats in adjusted relation.

20. A shaping or forming frame, compris! ing a series of slats some of which are adjustable toward and from the others, rollers disposed between said slats, side pieces arranged at the sides of said series of slats, an-adjustable push-board or ram connecting said side pieces and means for securing the slats in adjusted relation. I

21. In a mattress making machine, the combination of a main frame provided with a slatted apron and operating means and an' shaping and forming frame and adapted to be engaged between the slats of the apron to cause the said frame to move therewith and carry the stuffing material and be itself carried into the tick. r

22. In a mattress making machine, the combination of a main frame having an open .end, a compression-frame pivoted therein and provided with an extension to close the open end of the main frame when the compression-frame is in raised position a shaping or forming frame provided with a push-board or ram, a dummy push-board or ram, and a series of loose pieces or dummies adapted to be inserted between the two push-boards to vary the length of the mattress to be made and means formoving theshaping or forming frame and the-material carried thereby into the tick. 1

23. In a mattress making machine, th combination of a main frame, a compressionframe having an open end'pivoted therein and provided with an extension to close the open end of the main frame when the com-' pression-frame is in raised position, a shaping or forming frame provided with a push-board or ram, a dummy push-board or ram, and a series of loose pieces or dummies adapted to to be inserted between the two push-boards to vary the length of the mattress to be made and means for moving the shaping or forming frame and the material carried thereby into the tick, and means for withdrawing the shaping or forming frame from the tick.

CHARLES W. WHITE.

Witnesses:

S. O. ROBERTSON, DOCK SHELTON, A. J. SHELTON. 

